The 2026 NFL schedule was unveiled yesterday, setting the stage for the new season as the New York Jets learned their week-by-week opponents from September through to early January.

Alongside their usual matchups with their AFC East rivals, the Jets will take on the NFC North, the AFC West plus three opponents based on their respective division finishes (Titans, Browns, Cardinals).

They start their season in Nashville, taking on the Tennessee Titans in a matchup laden with storylines. New Titans head coach Robert Saleh piloted the Jets from 2021-2024, while both teams have a number of players that have moved from one franchise to the other, including Jermaine Johnson and T’Vondre Sweat who switched uniforms earlier this offseason in a one-for-one trade.

The home opener at MetLife Stadium week 2 will see the visit of the Green Bay Packers. The Jets last played the Packers in 2022, running out 27-10 winners thanks to a dominant Breece Hall performance but they will have their work cut out in this one to slow down Jordan Love and the high octane Packers offence. The one silver lining may be that they avoid pass rusher Micah Parsons, who is expected to miss the start of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL.

They’ll stay in the NFC North for the next two weeks, travelling to Detroit and Chicago to take on the Lions and Bears respectively. Both should offer stout challenges, with high-scoring offences in difficult road environments that will test the mettle of the new look Jets roster. Detroit in particular will be a challenge that Aaron Glenn will relish as he returns to the place he called home between 2021 and 2024.

The Jets return to MetLife to take on the Browns, before their first two divisional games of the season against the Patriots and Dolphins. The Raiders then come to town in a matchup between the 1st and 2nd overall picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, setting the stage for two further AFC West tilts on the road against the Chiefs and Chargers sandwiched around a home game against the Bills.

Week 12 will send the Jets to Miami to round out their season series against the Dolphins, before a late bye week sets them up for the final stretch. The Denver Broncos – on the schedule for the seventh consecutive season – visit MetLife in week 14 ahead of a trip to Arizona to take on the Cardinals. The Jets final homestand of the season sees the visit of the Patriots and Vikings, before they finish up with a trip to Buffalo for the second consecutive year.

The good news for Jets fans in Europe? The schedule has zero games kicking off after 9:05pm UK time, with 14 on the schedule currently pencilled in for the 1pm Eastern timeslot. In contrast to some of the primetime heavy schedules of previous years, fans should be able to keep their sleep schedules relatively consistent throughout the season.

2026 also marks the first time since 2023 that the Jets haven’t played an international contest after back-to-back years in London, and their travel schedule will see them among the league leaders in fewest miles travelled. For fans looking to get out to a game in New Jersey, our new partnership with Elite Sports Travel will be putting on the first ever official Jets Fan Weekender this year. The official game and dates will be confirmed in the coming days.

The broadcast information will remain largely consistent from 2025, with most games shown live on NFL Game Pass on DAZN. Sky Sports may carry a few of our games but those details will be confirmed nearer the time, whilst talkSPORT remains the home on radio for NFL coverage.